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July 22, 2015

Handling Cynthia, Romance by @Andrea_Dalling #RLFblog #contemporary

This quick interview includes info about the author, and
introduces the story.

About the Author

Andrea Dalling lives in the sexy Southeast, where the
summers are hot and the romance hotter. During the day, she's an award-winning
technical writer, but at night, she writes steamy stories. She loves to torture
her characters but eventually rewards them with a happily-ever-after. Married
to her college sweetheart, she's a progressive Christian and an advocate for
LGBT rights. When she's not writing, she enjoys gardening at her Raleigh home
and scuba diving in the clear blue waters of the Caribbean Sea.

Interview with Andrea Dalling

Why did you write
this book?

When my high school reunion was
coming up a couple of years ago, I realized it would be fun to write a series about people hooking
up with their high school crush at their five-year reunion. This series is
about characters having a second chance to say the things they wish they'd
said, to do the things they didn't have the courage to do, and to find love
with the one they can't forget.

Handling Cynthia, book 2 in the
Second Chances series, was particularly fun because it's about a classic high
school "good girl" who, it turns out, is into kink—and she's not shy
about asking for what she wants. The hero is a departure from the familiar
billionaire Dom: he's a grad school student on a budget, a scientist who's
sometimes a bit overconfident and makes mistakes in reading what his sub wants.
I like writing about characters who are real people working through real
problems that readers can relate to in their own lives, and I hope that's what
I've done in this book.

What is your favorite
genre to read?

I have eclectic tastes and enjoy a
wide variety of genres, from the classics to women's fiction to erotic romance.
Right now, my favorites genres are gay and BDSM romance. I like romance that
has some "forbidden" aspect to it, something that defies social
conventions. At the same time, I have pretty conventional ideas about marriage
and monogamy, and those things are reflected in my work as well.

Who is your favorite
character from fiction (not including your own)?

Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and
Prejudice. Not a very original answer, but an honest one! I remember reading
that book when I was in high school, reading quotes from it to my mom because I
thought it was so hilarious. I love how Elizabeth fights for what she believes
in and stands up to social pressure, but then also shows the ability to change and
admit her mistakes. And it doesn't hurt that Darcy is the ultimate book
boyfriend! A man of principles who hasn't had much opportunity to put those
principles into action, who for the first time in his life has to prove that
he's worthy of a woman, and rises to the occasion.

What are you working
on at the moment, and will see from you in coming months?

Tempting Jordan, book 3 in the
Second Chances series, is a gay romance that's just released. A closeted bisexual has to choose between his golden-boy
reputation and coming out for the man he loves. Next up is Commanding the
Billionaire, a femdom book that turns the BDSM billionaire trope on its head.
The heroine is a smart-mouthed Domme with trust issues and a troubled past, and
the hero a strong, nurturing billionaire sub who helps her heal.

Please tell us about
your latest book.

Cynthia Darlington can't forget how Trent Weber kissed her before they
left for college—backed up against her Mustang, wrists firm in his grip, her
body yielding to his desire. Now, five years later, she seeks him out at their
class reunion, newly aware of her submissive nature, and hungering for his
dominance. With so much time and distance between them, he's practically a
stranger now. Giving herself to Trent could be the culmination of all her
hopes—or a teenage fantasy gone horribly wrong.

When Trent watched Cyn walk away after their kiss five years ago, it was
enough humiliation to last a lifetime. But with one look at her in that tight
black dress, his old desire resurfaces—and with it, the dark fantasies of her
bound and submitting to his will. He longs to master this beautiful, confident,
and supremely independent woman. If he can't convince her to submit to her
deepest cravings before the weekend is out, he could lose his last shot at the
one who got away.

Handling Cynthia, a BDSM erotic romance novella, is intended for an
adult audience. It contains scenes of flirtation, hot kisses, seductive
bowling, a spoiled sub, a demanding Dom, second thoughts, and second chances.